1. Complete the
Meeting Aesclepius practice. Describe your meditative practices for the week
and discuss the experience. Explain how mindfulness or meditation has fostered
an increase in your psychological or spiritual wellness. How can you continue
to apply these practices in your life to foster greater health and wellness?
The ancient Greeks called the inner healer Aesclepius. Aesclepius
is the Greek god of medicine, healing, rejuvenation and physicians. This week’s
meditation practice was entitled “Meeting Aesclepius.” This exercise, through
the use of visualization, helped me access my inner healer that is found at the
source of my being. The wise healer resides within each of us to will help
guide us toward the integral process.
I found this exercise very
rewarding. It was a guided meditation, with the sound of the ocean waves in the
background, very soothing. We were told to close our eyes and visualize the
image of a very wise and loving man or woman whom we knew. My image instantly
came up of my father. My dad passed away in October, 2011. When I think of my
dad I am so happy and relieved that he is no longer suffering and is in a
better place with my mom. Concentrating on his image helped me relax and move
toward my subtle mind. With my eyes closed, I could visualize a light coming
from him towards me. Throughout the exercise I felt a great sense of calmness,
happiness, inner healing and peace. I felt my heart really open up. It was very
uplifting and inspiring. I did feel a sense of inner freedom more so than just relaxation.
I look forward to meditating; I find this to be my time for
clearing my mind, feeling refreshed, calm, relaxed and healthy. Meditation to me is like
having small doses of health and wellness injected into my body, mind and
spirit. Through these exercises, I am feeling that I am healing from within and growing mentally and spiritually. I find meditating a very emotional experience yet it's very liberating as well.
2. Describe the
saying: "One cannot lead another where one has not gone himself"
(p.477). How does this apply to the health and wellness professional? Do you
have an obligation to your clients to be developing your health
psychologically, physically, and spiritually? Why or why not? How can you
implement psychological and spiritual growth in your personal life?
I believe this means that we must lead by example. I think health
and wellness professionals, in order to really be able to assist, advise and/or
help their clients/patients, have an obligation to be educated and experienced in
integral health and well-being. They also have a responsibility to continue developing
their health psychologically, physically, and spiritually. It would be an asset
and beneficial to the clients/patients. This will provide and instill more
confidence to the clients/patients that the health and wellness professional believes
in the services he/she is providing.
I can implement psychological and spiritual growth in my
personal life by meditating and practicing loving-kindness, calm-abiding and
the subtle mind. And by focusing daily on the body, mind and spirit connection.
Thanks for reading!
Lori, I am sorry to hear about your Dad, but it sounds like he continues to be a major influence in your life. That is great that you were able to apply this practice and benefit from it. Did you have any experience with meditation before this class, or is it a fairly new practice?
ReplyDeleteI also found the Meeting Aesclepius helpful. It really puts into perspective the concepts of inner healing and made me realize I have the power to control my own mental and spiritual health as well as my physical. Great post. Best wishes and be well.
Danny
Hello Lori.
ReplyDeleteThis week's exercise was one of the best yet. I chose to visulaize my grandmother who died when I was younger. The longer and more focused I became the better I was able to see her and hear her. I felt so at peace and so warm. I will admit it was a bit harder than the other exercises we have tried, but it was the most calming one this far. In a certain way I feel like I don't want to try this exercise again for fear that it won't bring the same results.
Lori,
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy reading your blogs. I think because your writings always seem to be true to heart. I feel that these are practices that you have begun to implement into your life. I love your quote "meditation is like having small doses of health and wellness injected into my body, mind, and spirit" it could be on a fortune cookie. LOL
I agree that as healthcare professionals we need to lead by example. I know for myself I want to be the best that I can be, I want to be a good role model for my clients. To be able to achieve this I must constantly be working to achieve integral health. I believe when a professional is passionate, and truly believes, and lives by what they are preaching it is what makes the difference between a good health care professional and a great one. Personally I rather be a great one!
Laurie
Hi Laurie, thank you so much I appreciate kind words. I like the idea of the fortune cookie…LOL
DeleteI love sharing things that I am learning with people around me. I think being a good role model is very important. We may not be able to help everyone but we will be able to help someone. I’m sure you will be an excellent healthcare professional…good luck to you and thanks again for your kind words :-)
Lori, I am sorry for the loss of your father. But I really appreciate how you describe your feelings about his loss, that you are relieved for him to be free from suffering. This is the most positive way to look at death, to me. It is ascribing healing to death, I think; instead of someone having left us, they've been relieved or freed from suffering. Thank you for putting it that way. I have not yet completed this week's meditation, but I look forward to it. It requires more practice for me, and I intend to keep trying.
ReplyDeleteNatalie
Hi Natalie, thank you for your kind words about my dad. My dad confirmed my beliefs when he and I had a conversation a couple of days before he passed. He told me that he knew his time had come and he was ok with it. He said he would be with my mom watching over me and he kept telling me he could see angels and asked me if I could see them too. I know he is in a special place and I love the fact that I can do this meditation exercise and connect with him again. Good luck to you with the meditation exercise.
DeleteThank you again.
Lori,
ReplyDeleteI also liked this exercise. I wonder if many of us thought of people who have passed on that we held dear to our hearts. I thought of my granny, she was my grandpa's mom. She was a very loving and nurturing woman that played with me and made my childhood more exciting. I miss her deeply. She was in my memory so deep but I was unaware of the thoughts that were still there. I don't hardly think of her and had so many thoughts that raced in my head, memories of her.
I agree with you on the saying. I think that as health and wellness professionals we are responsible for leading by example to be able to help others in need. I have seen it first hand at my job. My co-workers never used to exercise, were not conscious of their health at all, and were not very healthy. I started exercising, eating right, and finding ways to reduce stress. It took about one year or was it two until they asked me if I could help them. There are about 6 of them that exercise religiously and try to eat healthy because they saw that it worked for me. We are definitely more contagious to others when we practice what we preach.
Tracy
Lori,
ReplyDeleteI also liked this exercise. I wonder if many of us thought of people who have passed on that we held dear to our hearts. I thought of my granny, she was my grandpa's mom. She was a very loving and nurturing woman that played with me and made my childhood more exciting. I miss her deeply. She was in my memory so deep but I was unaware of the thoughts that were still there. I don't hardly think of her and had so many thoughts that raced in my head, memories of her.
I agree with you on the saying. I think that as health and wellness professionals we are responsible for leading by example to be able to help others in need. I have seen it first hand at my job. My co-workers never used to exercise, were not conscious of their health at all, and were not very healthy. I started exercising, eating right, and finding ways to reduce stress. It took about one year or was it two until they asked me if I could help them. There are about 6 of them that exercise religiously and try to eat healthy because they saw that it worked for me. We are definitely more contagious to others when we practice what we preach.
Tracy